The Bell Tower (Church of St Vincent in Le Havre) by Raoul Dufy

The Bell Tower (Church of St Vincent in Le Havre) - Raoul Dufy - Canvas Oil Painting

About This Piece

Nothing softens a home office like a painted surface. The Bell Tower (Church of St Vincent in Le Havre) by Raoul Dufy arrives as a hand painted oil painting on canvas, offering the fine art detail, soft gradients, and tactile finish that fine art oil painting shoppers look for.

The Story Behind the Painting

1908
Oil on canvas
Private collection.

Le clocher is the only non-Italian painting that comes from the same private collection as lots XX, demonstrating the special admiration that the later owner had for Raoul Dufy.

Raoul Dufy was, together with Emile Othon Friesz and Georges Braque, one of the protagonists of the Fauvist school of Le Havre, where he was born in 1877, and he completed his studies, at the Ecole de Beaux-Arts. In 1899, he was released from military service and moved to Paris with Friesz, where he became acquainted with the work of the Impressionist artists. The turning point of his career however came in 1905, when he visited the Salon d’ Automne. The vivid colours and violent brushstrokes of the early Fauve painters such as Matisse, Derain and Vlaminck, were irresistible to him and his fellow Norman painters, who inevitably responded to this in their own work, back in their native Normandy.

Le Havre remained one of Dufy’s favourite subjects, and one that he would paint both from life, while visiting his native town, and in his studio, allowing his imagination to recreate it, a tendency in common with the Fauves he had admired in Paris.

Le clocher depicts the bell tower of the Church of St Vincent in Le Havre, surrounded by a harmonious yet dynamic view of the rooftops of Dufy’s hometown. The tones are slightly darker than those typical of his 1906 images of Le Havre, almost as if the day here was turning to sunset, but the deep, blue brushstrokes give a sense of movement, balanced with serenity, that pervades the canvas. A very similar stylistic approach and palette can be seen in some major paintings executed the same year in the South of France and today in museums, such as the Vence landscape in the collection of the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, or Boats at l’Estaque in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nice.

Le clocher has not been seen at auction since 1965, when it last sold publicly as part of a large, important collection sale.

Our artists reproduce this fine art composition in oil on canvas by hand, preserving the tonal range that makes fine art oil painting so sought after for a home office.

Materials & Craftsmanship

Expect subtle, hand-made variation rather than factory uniformity. Each fine art canvas is painted with oils, allowed to cure properly, and inspected before it is approved for shipment.

Specifications & What You Receive

• 100% hand-painted oil painting on artist-grade canvas — never a print or digital reproduction.
• Comes with a 2-inch unpainted margin on every side, ready for stretcher bars or a frame.
• We dispatch worldwide ourselves, so there are no middlemen in the chain.
• Quick turnaround — most in-stock fine art paintings ship in 3–10 working days.
• Available canvas sizes for this hand painted oil painting: 20 X 24 in, 24 X 36 in, 30 X 40 in, 36 X 48 in, 48 X 72 in.
• Any size you need can be produced — just tell us your preferred dimensions.
• Choose from DHL, UPS, FedEx, USPS and other competitively priced carriers.
• We stretch your canvas onto wooden bars at no extra charge, and can arrange custom framing.
• You will receive a photo of your completed painting by email for sign-off prior to shipping.

Styling & Placement

Wondering where fine art oil painting looks best? Try a home office mantel, a dining room sideboard, or a hallway gallery wall. The fine art subject reads clearly from a distance and rewards close viewing up near.

Delivery, Sizes & Guarantee

In short: The Bell Tower (Church of St Vincent in Le Havre) - Raoul Dufy - Canvas Oil Painting combines a fauvist composition, a 100% hand painted oil painting process, and the flexibility of made-to-order canvas sizes — a dependable choice for fine art oil painting and office wall decor.